Conventional paint or adhesive supply systems comprise some form of a reservoir, such as a mixing tank having a means for agitating or mixing the material (e.g., paint or adhesive); a pump for transferring the mixed material under a desired pressure through a pipe line or hose; an applicator, such as a manual or automated spray gun for delivering a paint or a flow applicator for applying an adhesive to a manufactured product; and optionally, a return pipeline or hose for the recirculation of any unused material back to the reservoir along with various in-line metering devices, flow regulators, and valves. A paint or adhesive supply system utilizes a variety of different couplings or fittings in order to effectively connect the various system components to the pipeline or hose through which the material is transferred.
Continuing problems associated with the circulation and application of materials, such as paints and adhesives, include the degradation of either the polymers or pigments in the material, the settling or separation of the solid pigments from the liquid medium in the material, the introduction of foreign particulates or the creation of agglomerates during the transfer of the material, and the creation of leaks or spills from the supply system components that are not effectively coupled to the pipeline or hose. In each of these cases, the possibility of imperfections in the paint finish, paint pattern, or adhesive bead applied to a manufactured product exists, which ultimately creates the necessity of rework or results in process inefficiency through the creation of scrap parts. A further process inefficiency results from system downtime when production must be halted in order to repair a leaking connection in the supply system.
In order for a coupling or fitting to effectively connect supply system components to a pipeline or hose, it is necessary for the fitting to make a robust static connection between the system component and the pipeline. Unfortunately, often the creation of such a connection enhances the probability of degrading the material or accelerating pigment agglomeration by altering the flow or rheological properties exhibited by the material in the vicinity of the seal. In addition, such a connection may also require the application of a substantial amount of torque to the assembled threaded components, which is difficult to consistently apply under the variety of different conditions encountered in a manufacturing environment. Accordingly, there exists a need in the industry to continually improve the ability of a coupling or fitting to engage and effectively seal between the pipeline and various system components upon the application of a lower amount of torque and without affecting the rheological or flow properties of the paint or adhesive.